Technology Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Technology Management - Research Paper Example This research will try to show that the technological changes in modern era cannot always help the corporation to increase the business productivity. Technological Changes Cannot Always Help It is true that the productivity in several non-white collar jobs has significantly increased due to the implementation of advanced technology. On the other hand, productivity in several white collar jobs has not grown at the same rate. It can be stated that implementation of advanced technology does not have that as much positive impact on manufacturing as it is identified in office jobs. It is quite difficult to measure productivity in white collar jobs. Poor quality and inadequate measurement process and implementation of high automation can affect the productivity of an organisation. This part of the research will investigate all the aspects through the implementation of appropriate theories and approaches. Lack of Integration and Knowledge Organisations generally implement a computerised acc ounting system within the organisation in order to reduce and control the operational time and cost. It is not true that all the time this automation process can reduce time and cost. Lack of knowledge about advanced technology and functions can take more operating time. ... There are several people outside of the branches or the departments who cannot avail this facility. However, it is important to integrate all the branches and departments all together before implementing the advanced technology in business process. Otherwise, it can reduce the productivity of the organisation. Unmeasured Productivity and Unnoticed Problems It is true that some organisations implement advanced technology and automation process in business practices without thinking about the future consequences. It is very much difficult to measure productivity after the implementation of advanced technology. Inadequate review of technological tools can affect the productivity of the organisation. Inadequate Initial Decision Making Process In certain governmental firms, the purchase of software and equipment is not undertaken with supreme diligence. It is true that several officials do not know how to increase the productivity and efficiency of business process through the implementat ion of advanced technology. It is very much critical to make a decision about the implementation of advanced technology (Grembergen, 2001). Application of advanced technology automation in business process may not increase the productivity of a firm. First of all, it is important for the management of the organisation to conduct comprehensive and real analysis to make effective decisions. It will be very much difficult for the organisation if they implement process of justifying and deciding the wrong way round. The organisation needs to improve the decision making process based on the notion. It can provide effective solution to the problems. Implementation of Technology without effective

21st Century Technologies and Their Relationship to Student Achievement Essay Example for Free

21st Century Technologies and Their Relationship to Student Achievement Essay The Holy Grail in education today is to link an educational strategy, program, initiative or technology to student achievement. There are numerous organizations advocating for Technology Literacy, Information Literacy, 21st Century Learning Skills, and any number of other titles for literacy in a modern context. In all sectors of human society, the technology of the 21st Century has revolutionized and enhanced our way of life. From medicine to the military and from business to the arts, the technologies of today have made our lives better. It is not surprising then, that the public expects technology to have a similar revolutionary effect on education. After all, the biggest advancements of the last 20 years have been in the realm of information and the tools of human knowledge; this is Education’s back-yard. Yet, when people look at our schools they see many classrooms that seem to have been immune to these advances. There are obstacles that education faces in implementing a 21st Century approach to education not the least of which is finding a definition and a clear picture of what it really looks like and whether it will be more effective for students. Costs to implement technology-rich programs quickly seem prohibitive when scaling to an entire school system, particularly so in a state that lags the nation in educational funding. Teachers are our biggest asset and are known to be the single largest influence on student achievement the district can provide, so professional development is crucial and fundamental. The measure of success, the CSAP, is a paper and pencil test which will be unable to measure all the positive effects technology can have for student learning. Indeed, a 20th Century test method will be unable to properly assess (and may even inhibit) the skills development of a 21st Century learner. And then, are we just about the content and helping students master it, or is education about something more as well? Therefore, making the case that investment in technology will increase student achievement can be fraught with pitfalls and obstacles. To attempt to tackle this issue, the authors of this paper will review quality research and commentary in an array of areas where technology-related tools and strategies have been implemented with positive effects for students. A strict filter of studies that produce higher test results will not be used because of the limitations current paper and pencil tests have in assessment of 21st Century skills. In addition to improved assessment performances, the reader is encouraged to consider the context of a global workplace and education’s duty to prepare students to thrive in a highly digital, interactive knowledge workforce. Research that shows increased student achievement on assessments, studies that point to ways education can successfully prepare students for a modern workforce and our own experiences in Littleton Public Schools shall all be considered positive correlations between technology and student achievement in this paper. The Challenge Inherent in Determining the Effectiveness of Technologies via Research The following is an excerpt that addresses a gestalt view of technology and its correlation to student achievement: When we try to determine the effectiveness of educational technologies, we are confronted by a number of methodological and practical issues. First, we need to remember that technology is only one component of an instructional activity. Assessments of the impact of technology are really assessments of instruction enabled by technology, and the outcomes are highly dependent on the quality of the implementation of the instructional design. According to Roy Pea, director of SRI Center for Technology in Learning in Menlo Park, California, the social contexts of how technology is used are crucial to understanding how technology might influence teaching and learning. Educational technologies cannot be effective by themselves. The social contexts are all-important. This means more attention should be paid to the teaching strategies used both in the software and around it in the classroom, and to the classroom environment itself. It is a recurrent finding that the effects of the best software can be neutralized through improper use, and that even poorly designed software can be creatively extended to serve important learning goals. There are also a host of methodological issues to confront. First, standardized achievement tests might not measure the types of changes in students that educational technology reformers are looking for. New measures, some of which are currently under development, would assess areas, such as higher order thinking skills, that many believe can be particularly affected by using new technologies. There is also a need to include outcome measures that go beyond student achievement, because student achievement might be affected by students attitudes about themselves, their schools, the types of interactions that go on in schools, and the very idea of learning. Another consideration is pointed out by the U. S. Office of Technology Assessments Teachers and Technology: Making the Connection: Technological changes are likely to be nonlinear, and might show effects not only on student learning, but also on the curriculum, the nature of instruction, the school culture, and the fundamental ways that teachers do their jobs. Coley, 1997). Instant Response Systems Data-driven decision making is an educational approach that requires educators to decide on instructional strategies and activities based on what they know about how well students have grasped a concept. Whereas before, this might be done with mini quizzes, homework or performances at the chalk board, today’s technologies provide another avenue. Using handheld devices in Modesto City Schools classrooms, teachers can pose questions to students who use wireless remotes for real-time responses. Such engagement enables the teachers to immediately determine if students are grasping concepts and decide whether more time is needed on a topic or whether the group can move on. Item banks of standards-aligned questions make teacher’s jobs easier in developing such review materials (Hines, 2005). Another similar technology is the graphing calculator which can be used in math and science classrooms to enable every student to participate and have the power of a modern computing tool. Classrooms that make use of the graphing calculator exhibit better questioning and feedback behaviors; goal-oriented instruction becomes more attainable and more common; activities result in better student engagement and students tend to demonstrate more collaborative learning behaviors (Whitehurst, 2003). In Littleton Public Schools, a definitive interest is rising for these technologies as several classroom sets are deployed in schools across the district. Results are largely anecdotal and preliminary, but math coordinators are seeing the Texas Instruments graphing calculator as a valuable tool that will reach beyond just math class. Technology Education Littleton Public Schools has a strong tradition in the realm of technology education. Our Middle and High Schools are all equipped with curricula that introduce a wide array of technologies to students. LPS technology education students and teachers have won national recognition for their work. A relatively small amount of research has been done on students’ understandings of design and technology concepts, or technical knowledge. This limited research sometimes makes it difficult to capitalize on such an ever evolving subject as Technology Education. The findings from the Australian study state that an increasing awareness of students’ understandings of design and technology concepts can have an impact on the teaching and learning of design and technology in elementary schools similar to that experienced in elementary science education (Davis, Ginns, McRobbie, 2002). Called Career and Technical Education in Virginia, CTE correlations to curricular areas have been documented on a state web site (http://www. valinkages. net/) and are considered a key component to preparing students for End-Of-Course tests. A study was conducted in 2002–2003 on Illustration and Design Technology coursework, an example of CTE student performance on Standards of Learning (SOL), the Virginia equivalent of CSAP tests. The results showed that 78 percent of CTE students passed the mathematics SOL test while only 72 percent of non-CTE enrolled students pass the test (Dyer, Reed, Berry, 2006). Authors on the subject advocate for providing students with opportunities to synthesize their learning in other subjects in technology-related programs. The opportunity to apply and reinforce learning from content areas in technology programs is essential if learning is to be meaningful to students (Lewis, 1999). In our own experiences in LPS, we find that the Technology Education courses generate excitement and interest for learning among both male and female students which must have an impact on their learning. Recent research has shown that Technology Education courses appeal to both genders equally (McCarthy Moss, 1994). Although girls appeared to enjoy required technology education courses, they were less likely to continue taking such courses as electives(Silverman Pritchard, 1996). Certainly motivation and application of knowledge help to improve student achievement. And while recent results do not conclusively prove that these courses impact student achievement at a higher level than other programs we implement in schools, it would be imprudent to think that these programs do not have a very positive effect. This is one of the limitations of research on students: it is almost impossible to create a true control group. When asked, students currently enrolled in LPS Technology Education courses reported their thoughts of technology to include: computers, iPods, video games, music media, email, and tools in general. Recent legislation supports the concept that education’s technology initiatives need to go beyond thinking about computers. Rather, Technology Education is about teaching innovation; providing opportunity for practical application of knowledge gained in school; mastery of abstraction and problem solving. Technology Education programs at LPS include a broad scope of tools that human beings use to master their environment including manufacturing, construction, power and energy, communication, transportation, and biotechnology. While research that clearly correlates higher student achievement on standardized tests is lacking, the skills that students learn in such courses clearly match what employers, from engineering firms to manufacturing companies, indicate they seek in their applicant pools. Simulations and Video Games â€Å"Dad, did you know that a Prefect in ancient Rome was both a firefighter AND a policeman? † was a question that arose from the back of my (Dan Maas) car during a long road trip with my son, Calvin. He described, in quite accurate detail, the pantheon of Roman gods, the basic elements of Roman society and then abruptly ended the question and answer period that arose from his initial question so he could fend off the Carthaginians. How did he know they were Carthaginians? â€Å"Hannibal always attacks with elephants† was his reply. The boy had learned all this about Rome playing a video game at age five. Video games have long been the bane of the parent and teacher’s existence, but there’s something here that may be of some use to us. Some have picked up on the possibilities. A multi-user virtual environment (MUVE) is a kind of video game. Schools like Harvard University are creating MUVEs that are patterned after video games with a few critical differences. Video games typically have goals like collecting points, defeating enemies or gathering gold. On the other hand, MUVEs have the goal of learning. By creating virtual environments, problems can be posed, research can be collected, theories tested and outcomes achieved. One MUVE example begins with an outbreak of a disease in a small town that players must investigate, determine the pathogens involved, develop theories on how o treat the illness and test methods to resolve the crisis. The simulation is highly visual, interactive, and highly engaging to the students. See   Studies show that children whose teachers use technology for simulations and application of knowledge tend to develop higher order thinking skills and tend to score higher on tests like the National Assessment for Educational Progress. Conversely, technology use that focuses on drill-and-practice tends to correlate to lower performance (Archer, 1998). In another pilot, students who participated in computer-assisted literacy instruction earned higher scores on a Stanford Culture-Free Self-Esteem Inventory and on a Test of Written Spelling (Bottege, Daley, Goin, Hasselbring, Taylor, 1997). In a 2005 study on a gaming system called an Intelligent Tutoring System, results showed increased educational interest and motivation among students. Students showed statistically significant gains educationally, but of particular note was the very significant effect on students who had performed poorly previous to the pilot (Virvou, Katsionis, Manos, 2005). When one thinks about games, it seems as if there is a clear opportunity for using this tool for advancing educational skills. Students solve problems, learn languages and master virtual world rules while playing video games for entertainment. This pattern was examined in a Newark, New Jersey study using Lightspan educational video games where 47 pre-school age children played 40 minutes per day for 11 weeks and demonstrated significant gains over the control group on the Wide Range Achievement Test R-3. The scores for spelling and decoding were significantly improved for the experimental group over the control while no significant difference was detected in math (Calao Din, 2001). The Pokemon video game is also interesting to consider. By the time the first draft of this document is completed for the Board of Education, the country will celebrate Dr. Suess’ birthday. His children’s books help young people to learn to read by creating simple, repetitive language constructs that reveal patterns to students and help them improve their decoding and phonic awareness. He even made up nonsense words to press the student’s phonetic ability. Pokemon has many similar traits. Text on the handheld game appears in small, five word chunks that only proceed when the reader is done. The reading is meaningful in that comprehension is required to solve the puzzles of the game. And the story line is filled with imaginary creatures with made-up names†¦ each phonetically accurate. Did the makers of Pokemon intend to create a game that might help children learn to read or did the creators use phonics to create the English language equivalents of their native Japanese? Who knows, but perhaps this game, or something like it, could be helpful. In speaking informally at several buildings in LPS, students at the middle level indicated that they would check out educational video games to play on their home gaming systems. Could video games, tuned to education by eliminating violence and other objectionable themes, become a new tool educators can use to engage students both during and after school? More research is certainly warranted but the existing results and intuitive logic leads one to think that there is promise here. At-Risk/Intervention An ever present emphasis in education is how to intervene for students with at-risk characteristics. We see educational and economic gaps forming for students at-risk and our public system is always focused on closing gaps and providing bridges for students. Can technology-integrated interventions be part of the answer? In a recent study published by North Carolina State University’s Meridian, journal on middle school technology, students repeating eighth grade were isolated into a focused 27-week program that used hypermedia, online resources and Power Point as integrated technologies. Students demonstrated statistically significant gains (29 percentile points) in reading and language arts. Additionally students demonstrated marked improvements (23 percentile points) in writing performances (Little, 2006). Within LPS, the Center for Online Studies is a partnership with Arapahoe Community College (ACC). Students come to ACC to take online coursework supplied by Class. com and supervised by a certified teacher. The students enrolled have had difficulty succeeding in their traditional high schools and reported to the Board of Education in January, 2007 that the program has made a difference in their academic pursuits. The principles in use here that are making this first year program a success are having a quality content source, a certified teacher and a supportive learning environment. 1:1 Initiatives One-to-one computing is an industry term of one computing device allocated to one person. This essentially is an initiative to end shared computing resources based on the idea that such learning tools are so essential that every student needs one all the time. This view is something akin to the status that textbooks have enjoyed for some time. When the public hears about classroom textbooks, meaning students can’t take their own book home, there is usually concern or even outcry to increase the resource. Proponents of 1:1 computing believe that the 21st Century represents a time when that status held by textbooks transfers to the computer. Indeed, if we are to shift from paper-based learning materials to electronic sources, a 1:1 initiative of some sort of computing device will be a pre-requisite. Some school districts and even states have begun to explore this concept. In Maine, a state-wide initiative began nine years ago to provide every seventh grade student with a laptop. The program is called the Main Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) and it is having an impact on teaching and learning in their public schools. After five years, researchers reported that teachers were more effective at helping students meet state standards. Also students were more motivated, learned more, and mastered concepts to deeper levels. Finally, students appeared to be learning new skills for the 21st Century (Lane, 2003). Further research into the MLTI project showed that students who had used laptops in 7th and 8th grade, but no longer had school supplied laptops in 9th grade reported that the quantity and quality of their school work had dropped since losing access to school-provided laptops (Pitler, Flynn, Gaddy, 2004). A 1:1 project is the initiative in Henrico County, Virginia which began in 2001. Prior to the project, 78 percent of the district schools were accredited based on the student achievement on the Virginia Standards of Learning test. By the end of the school year in 2003, all schools had earned accreditation meaning that a satisfactory percentage of students passed the state test (Pitler, Flynn, Gaddy, 2004). In Canada, a 1:1 effort entitled the Wireless Writing Project begun in 2002 started in Peace River North with 6th and 7th grade students. In pre and post-test results on writing assessments, researchers found that the percentage of students who met or exceeded the performance standards of the test increased from 70 percent to 92 percent (Pitler, Flynn, Gaddy, 2004). Another 1:1 initiative is underway in New Hampshire where initial results reflect other studies of similar efforts. Students and teachers are demonstrating increased technology use across the curricular areas. Student engagement and motivation is improving and student-teacher interactions are on the rise. Initial reports of teacher judgment of student achievement (that is, basing achievement on grades rather than standardized tests) indicate that students are doing better than before (Bebell, 2004). In our own experiences in LPS, we see classrooms with laptop access achieving a 1:1 ratio for the class period exhibiting much improved academic behaviors. Working in this manner, students demonstrate a tendency to return to previous homework and revise, edit and reuse to far greater degrees than the classroom teacher was accustomed to seeing. Students more often compare their writing samples with peers and seem more likely to collaborate. Using blogs, wikis and other online tools, students expand on the usefulness of word processors by working collaboratively and ubiquitously. Collaboration through Technology A strong theme through the research and observations in this paper is how technologies are used to improve student achievement and general practices. This section is dedicated to the art of collaboration and how various tools allow people to reach across distances and through time like never before. iPods and other MP3 playing devices have opened up a very convenient and powerful pathway for information to be produced, accessed and archived. San Diego State University is leveraging this technology in science teacher preparation. Podcasting is a method of recording digital audio and video files and posting them online for others to access. This method can be used to bring distant experts to students, provide opportunities to review material at leisure, grant unprecedented access to students to research material and extend the learning opportunities for students well beyond the classroom. Surveys of pre-service science teachers who used iPods and podcasting in their preparation reported time savings, increased interest in subject matter, and declared that they would use podcasting in their own teaching methods in the future (Yerrick, 2006). The presence of global networks, the affordability of a wide array of information technology and the reality that connected people create an integrated whole have drastically impacted how we work, and learn today. Learning theories of the previous century including behaviorism, cognitivism and constructivism were developed, prior to the current way our lives are organized, as a result of technology. Siemens proposes a new theory of learning based on the new human condition: Connectivism. In this view, knowledge resides in people and on devices. Learning and knowing rest on diverse opinions from a wide array of sources. Learning becomes a process of connecting nodes of information. Continual learning is maintained by nurturing connections. Learners find connections between different ideas, fields of study, and basic concepts. Being current is of paramount importance. And decision-making is actually a learning process, meaning choosing what to learn and being able to deal with the shifting nature of information. Learners must become comfortable with the reality that what is considered correct today might be proven wrong tomorrow. This theory of learning represents a massive shift in thinking: that learning is not an individual pursuit, but is a collaborative, dynamic and never-ending activity (Siemens, 2005). In LPS, the blog and the wiki has become a fascinating collaborative learning tool. In a Language Arts classroom, students no longer just check out a book, write some sticky-note annotations, and have one-at-a-time discussions prompted by the teacher. Rather, students copy Macbeth from a web resource into a word processor and annotate electronically, keeping their work on personally owned USB memory keys. While some students discuss a scene with the teacher, others are free to blog commentary on the topic of verbal discussion or other interests in the subject-matter at hand. Suddenly, a dozen conversation threads are happening all at once and the teacher only has control of one. The participation rate of students has risen and students return to the blog after school to continue their dialog. Students report that the conversation via blog makes them more reflective and yet more confident because of the lack of a public speaking component to the classroom discussion. In one discussion, the number of postings became so frequent over a short period of time that the free blogging service shut down the account because the activity resembled a malicious electronic attack on the blog server. A wiki supporting another Language Arts class is being used to connect students to young people in other countries like South Korea. Students reading Arabian Nights have opportunities to share their insights with others from around the United States and even in foreign countries. Other opportunities include the use of SKYPE for toll-free calls around the globe to other connected classrooms and instant messages allowing free-form, high speed conversation on topics of study. And in a Foreign Language classroom, chat and Voice Over IP systems allow students to practice their second language acquisition with their teacher, with each other, and even with students outside the classroom. The lesson is that the art of collaboration has no boundaries today. Time and space are no longer the limiters they once were and the list of technologies in this section only scratches the surface of what is available. And like the learning theory of Connectivism points out, this too will change. Education must take note and prepare students to succeed in an environment that thrives on collaboration while constantly changing and improving the tools that support it. Word Processing and Writing For decades now, research has been conducted on the effect word processing has on writing skills for students. In a 1997 study, Owston and Wideman cite a considerable body of work on this topic as part of their research project that studied 3rd grade students using word processors for writing. They concluded in their own study that use of word processors that were readily available to students and were an integrated part of their daily activities resulted in considerably higher quality and quantity of writing as compared to a similar student group without access and support for such tools (1997). In a more recent qualitative study, the use of word processors with seven 3rd grade students over a six week period led to significantly more creative, more comprehensive and improved style. This study of five girls and two boys also reported higher motivation to work with the writing process as compared to paper and pencil methods (Beck Fetherston, 2003). In LPS, Anne Smith reports that students are more engaged when using classroom laptops. The students take advantage of the ease of use to manipulate text to show various sentence structures. While these studies definitely point to improved writing volume and quality from young students, research also suggests that young students need to be exposed to handwritten learning as well, which has been a point of discussion for some time. An article by Balajthy et al points out that students need a diverse writing experience and that word processors should be part of the experience rather than replacing handwritten work (Balajthy, McKeveny, Lacitignola, 1986). At this developmental level, the various tools for writing are most effective for learners when they are used in an integrated approach with the overall instructional program rather than taught separately (MacArthur, 1988). There are studies that show little or no impact of word processors on the quality of student writing, however, a meta-analysis in 1993 showed that these studies tend to have a number of limitations not the least of which is the use of text-based word processors rather than the Graphical User Interface (GUI) systems in use today. Additionally, the analysis revealed that such studies often involve students who have sporadic access to the technology and were not accomplished with the tool (Bangert-Drowns, 1993). The process of mastering writing is very important and there is research that shows how emphasis on writing skills positively improves student achievement across the curriculum. Writing Across the Curriculum initiatives have over twenty years of professional practice and anecdotal evidence to support this claim. Strong research has been hard to come by, however, to truly evidence the effects. One of the biggest obstacles is the ability to truly have a strong control group for any study as such would require a population of students who did not use writing as part of their learning process (Railsback, 2004). Some studies have been able to document positive effects. In a 1992 study, Van Allen was able to conclude that school-wide efforts in Writing Across the Curriculum in five middle schools over a five year period resulted in better writing and better overall student achievement on assessments (1991). What we have found essential in LPS is to have students write frequently and in a variety of forms including wikis and blogs as well as word processors. We wish to note here that we must be careful about using research that is old, even though some of it is unavoidable. The technology tools of today are very different than when computers first entered schools. As an example, the word processing research from the 1980s may not be completely irrelevant, but the software of today bears so little resemblance to the software of the late 1980s. In addition, increased student (and teacher) familiarity with these tools will also have an effect on the impact these tools have on achievement. A key question is How do we measure the impact of tools that change so quickly that by the time you measure their impact, the tools have changed? In other words, by the time most research is done (and published in reputable sources), the technology has changed so much that the research loses at least some of its relevance. This will be a significant hurdle to overcome. In a comprehensive peer-reviewed report, Bangert-Drowns conducted another meta-analysis with Hurley and Wilkinson on the impact of writing across the curriculum in 2004. This analysis, which reviewed 48 studies, produced three major findings. First, writing for learning produced positive effects on school achievement in the studies reviewed. The second finding was that grade levels, minutes per task, and writing prompts had significant impact on results. The study found that programs implemented in Grades 6–8 actually had reduced performances, possibly due to the loss of time on the more differentiated content covered at the secondary level. Longer tasks also depressed results perhaps for similar time constraint issues and motivational issues among students. The use of writing prompts concerning students’ current understandings and confusion were very effective while prompts for personal writing showed no effect. The third finding concerned the length of treatment. The analysis revealed the intuitive conclusion that students who have longer exposure to writing for learning strategies experience a cumulative effect that is very positive (2004). The research continues today and can be seen in an article published in Education Week on February 14, 2007, where the National Assessment of Educational Progress has been piloting a computerized test for assessing writing. This move recognizes the research that is showing how students write more often, of better quality, and with more consistency (between both genders) when using these writing tools. And preliminary results are showing that students tend to write better on the tests when using the word processor (Cavanagh, 2007). What can be drawn from these studies is that writing, being an active learning process, has been shown to positively impact student achievement in all subject areas. It can also be stated that students who have ample access to word processing in conjunction with skillful instruction in a school that is emphasizing Writing Across the Curriculum can be reasonably expected to produce higher achievement results. Streaming Video In four Los Angeles public schools, a study was conducted on the effectiveness of United Streaming video in supporting 6th through 8th grade mathematics achievement. Students were pre and post-tested to provide the source data for the study which revealed that the experimental group using streaming video outperformed the control group by 4. 7 percent among sixth grade students. This differential was shown to be statistically significant. Eighth grade students showed a more modest 2. 2 percent advantage which still registered as significant (Boster et al. , 2004). In LPS, the same United Streaming resources were secured for all schools at the beginning of the 2006–2007 school year. Additional digital projection and speaker equipment was provided to schools along with a concerted orientation effort to help teachers access and use the material. Prior to the introduction of United Streaming video, the Internet connection for the district was peaking at 26 megabits of demand. Within two months of the introduction of United Streaming, the peak demand had reached 100 megabits which represented the maximum throughput the connection was able to sustain. This 400 percent increase in Internet demand was traced directly to streaming video services requested by the schools demonstrating the value teachers immediately saw in this technology. Today, LPS is deploying a locally hosted server to present the streaming video to meet the growing demand for both quantity and quality of the content. Laptops for Teachers The following is an observation of technology use at Lenski Elementary School by Assistant Director of Instructional Technology, Boni Hamilton. As part of the Technology Grants from Plan for Social Excellence (www. pfse. org). schools provided laptops for teachers in the first year of the three year grants. PFSE didnt collect hard data about the impact, but at Lenski Elementary School, I saw firsthand the effects on teachers and instruction. Some observations: 1. Teachers who had been least confident about their technology skills increased their confidence and competence with technology skills to equal that of the more tech-savvy staff members within four months. While the classroom teachers had regular access to technology skills when they co-taught in the lab and so were fairly confident with technology skills, the non-classroom staff such as specialists received training only when it was scheduled for the staff. This was too infrequent to give them the level of competence they needed. The portability of the laptops allowed the specialists to get help from peers, family members, and friends. A couple of teachers even signed up for computer classes outside the school because they finally had computers they could take home and practice on. One teacher who had been only moderately comfortable with technology learned how to make tables in MSWord and began showing everyone on staff she became the staff expert. 2. Teachers improved in their trouble-shooting skills. Trouble-shooting is difficult to teach because problems happen at inconvenient times and are hard to reproduce during a training session. However, when teachers were carting their laptops home and had problems, they had to solve the problems themselves. They either used family members to help or they fooled around until it did what they wanted. Because they knew the computers could be restored, they no longer worried about what would happen if they took a risk and pushed a button. 3. Teachers grew more relaxed about problems. Before laptops, teachers often got stressed when some technology failed. As they learned to problem-solve laptop problems, they had less tendency to get up-tight when something went wrong. They were then able to think about problem-solving strategies, consult a peer, or cart the laptop to a computer coach for help. 4. Teachers increased the level of student use of technology. As teachers gained confidence, they became more willing to risk using computers in the classroom. It wasnt as scary to let kids try projects on classroom computers because they trusted that either they or their students could solve problems. 5. The demand for student computers in classrooms has increased dramatically annually. Even though teachers felt their classrooms were too small to handle clusters of computers, six months after they received laptops, they made room for computer clusters because they began to depend on computers to enable students to continue projects, collaborate on learning, and practice skills. The number of desktop computers in classrooms went from an average of three per room to an average of five to six per room. Lenski also bought two 15-computer laptop carts, but demand was so heavy that the school added two more carts in the following year. Then the librarys demand for computers increased so dramatically that the school had to buy a fifth cart. In the third year of having laptop carts, teachers are now complaining that there are too few carts available for the library and 16 classrooms (Grades 2-5). 6. After three years of having laptops, most teachers opted to return to desktop computers. There seemed to be several causes for this: 1) They purchased home computers and found they could use USB drives to cart files; 2) The school had enough wireless laptops for student use that teachers could get on a laptop; or even borrow one overnight, if they needed; 3) They preferred larger screens, faster processors, and standard mice. Based on these observations, I advocate strongly for giving teachers experience with laptops before buying laptops for students. Concluding Remarks The following is a summative commentary from Karl Fisch, Edublog Nominee and Finalist for the Best Blog of 2006: Were not going to find a whole lot of really good research to support this at this time. I can summarize what the research generally says. The use of technology in appropriate ways has a small, positive effect on student achievement. It also has a larger, but still small, positive effect on student and teacher motivation, engagement and satisfaction. Thats about it. But I would strongly argue that to a certain extent this is missing the point. I would also suggest that many of our current practices are in direct contradiction to what the research says we should do, but we do them anyway because its convenient for the adults. How come nobody is demanding to see the research to support those practices? But I digress. ) I do not think that if we infuse technology into our schools, even putting in a 1:1 program at the high schools, that we will see student achievement as we currently measure it skyrocket. I think we may see a small positive effect, with possibly a slightly larger effect among those students who typically have not done very well in our schools. But the basic problem with looking for research that supports growth in student achievement is that by necessity research has to look at fixed, testable content to try to determine growth. Now Im not saying that content knowledge isnt valuable, it is. But I think the skills and abilities and habits of mind that ubiquitous access to technology would help us develop in our students are ones that are really hard to measure. How do you measure creativity? Or the ability to collaborate with others, both in the same room or across the planet (or beyond)? Or the ability to take in information from an almost inexhaustible supply, synthesizes it, remix it, and then produce something that is of value to others? How do you measure imagination? How do you measure the ability to function in a flat, globally interconnected, technology-enabled, rapidly changing world? How do we measure the ability to learn how to learn? To know how to adapt, to reinvent yourself over and over again to meet the needs of a world that is changing at an exponential pace. How do you measure the ability to function in a world where all of human factual knowledge will be available practically instantaneously? Knowledge is good. Having content knowledge is necessary, but not sufficient, to be successful in the 21st century. The research at best is only going to tell us about content knowledge. The power of the technology is to transform teaching and learning as we know it. To make it more student-centered, more individualized (yet also more community-based), more relevant, more meaningful. It allows each student to connect to each other, to the world, to knowledge, to learning, in the way(s) that works best for that student. I guess I fear we are asking the wrong questions . . . Where does all this leave us? And what use does this document provide? Clearly, more research is needed, but our efforts can no longer await the coming of comprehensive research studies. Not having solid research behind us will not be an adequate excuse for failing to prepare our students for the 21st Century. Therefore, we must be on the constant look-out for research that will help us light the way while we move ahead in the modernization of our public schools and our methods. We must become students of our own society and allow our own observations and action-research to influence our decisions. We must model for our students the creativity and risk-taking that will be defining characteristics of the next age. In short, educators must come out of the comfort zone, release some control and join the wave of seemingly chaotic global empowerment. Daniel Pink describes the next age of society which might give us some clues. He defines an age by the type of worker that is most commonly found among the population. During the Agricultural Age, the common person was some sort of farmer. During the Industrial Age, it was the factory worker. And during the Information Age, which he describes as beginning in the 1960’s, it was the Knowledge Worker. But the end of each age is preceded by an out-sourcing and off-shoring of the common worker prompting the rise of the next age. So what does Daniel Pink suggest is next? The Conceptual Age. This economy maintains the necessity of strong left-brain skills (reading, writing, math and science) while adding the right brain skills (aesthetics, intuition, value and play). Daniel Pink would advise us to continue our left-brain pursuits, but introduce the richness of meaning and value. It is no longer sufficient to create a well engineered product; now the product must be appealing as well (2005). References: http://www.bc.edu/research/intasc/PDF/NH1to1_2004.pdf

Billboards And Transit Advertisements Media Essay

Billboards And Transit Advertisements Media Essay Another research Street Smart was a successful pedestrian and bicycle safety program implemented in 2002, to educate the public on the severity of this problem and to promote pedestrian participation organizations concerned about the public safety issue, and funded by several Districts, countries and stat e agencies. Pedestrians were targeted with a variety of outdoor opportunities .12 posters were placed in key Metro stations around the area. 65 bus backs were created and placed on buses. They were targeted to reach pedestrians running to catch buses three posters were produced which dealt with pedestrian behaviors and safety issues. One side was printed in English, with the second side in Spanish. These were distributed for display in government buildings, schools, and libraries, parking garages, grocery stores and various events, In order to validate the campaign and judge effectiveness of the effort, a longitudinal tracking study was conducted both before and after the campaign. Evaluation goals were to discover if public awareness of pedestrian and bicycle safety issues was increased. Awareness of the advertising and public relations campaign for Street Smart increased. Awareness of the advertising and public relations campaign for Street Smart increased significantly between the pre-campaign survey and post-campaign survey among motorists 18 to 44 years of age, although there was a significant increase in awareness of the Street Smart Campaign to make drivers aware of pedestrians and the laws to yield to them in crosswalks. Hence outdoor medium played a significant role in bringing awareness among people. In country India, Coca Cola keep up to the Polio Pulse program, elevated attentiveness throughout outdoor promotion in appearance of hoardings, posters and banners, community declaration on the behalf of companys circulation motor vehicles and improving workers helpers on vaccination axis and also for activate communities. The Government of India prepared to launch the biggest polio vaccination force in 2000, In India Coca Cola and International Rotary declared a foremost nationwide partnership to help the Governments hard works to struggle for the mortal syndrome. It was later calculated (not scientifically) that a large majority of people responded by dropping suggestion in the suggestion boxes. Moreover it was observed that during this campaign the sale revenue of Coca Cola increased. There were at least 35 billboards: Coca Cola India and Rotary International also funded 15-transit advertisement. Their target was not only rural but sub- urban areas as well. The campaign was succes sful in bringing awareness and perception and outdoor medium proved to be an integral part of the media, playing a positive role in the society. If we talked about health care issues, Outdoor advertising plays a very fundamental role. On August 10, 1995, President Clinton announced some steps and plans to restrict the advertising, promotion, distribution and marketing of cigarettes to teenagers (White House Press Release 1995, P. 1). The Government stress on young people to prove identity or show ID card to buy a cigarette and also Government broadcast that billboards advertising cigarettes or smokeless tobacco near playgrounds and schools should be forbidden. Another restriction that Government imposes on Advertising is that Image that attracts Minors is not being appreciated on the billboards. The marketing campaigns used for cigarettes to minor are banned and the ban includes items ranging from single-cigarette sales, T-shirts, and gym bags to the sponsorship of sporting events. The FDA wants to educate the people to start raising funds to and implement an annual $150 million campaign aimed at stopping minors from smoking (White House Press Release 1995, P. 2). Another Goal of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is to reduce half of the number of minors who start smoking. The 1994 Surgeon Generals Report (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 1994, p. 5) found that over three million children smoke cigarettes and a supplementary one million teenager males use smokeless tobacco also daily 3000 youths become regular smokers (Institute of Medicine 1994, p.8). The younger the age that a person starts to smoke the superior the chance of becoming a heavy smoker (cf. Escobedo et al. 1993; Taioli and Wynder, 1991). Seventy percent of minors who do smoke apologize for their assessment and 66% would like to give up (George H. Gallup International Institute 1992, p. 54). Although the smoking rates for adults have declined, the smoking rates of minors have failed to decline in a decade. In the FDAs (1995) Proposed Rules, Section 897.30(a) sets out acceptable forms of advertising. Advertising that has the cigarette or smokeless tobacco product brand name (unaccompanied or in combination with any other word) or any other indicia of tobacco product classification may appear only in newspapers, magazines, journals or other publications; on billboards, posters, and placards (in accordance with section 897.30b). Another Section 897.30(a) deals with advertising of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco goods to adults. The use of color is not prohibited in these advertisements. The advertisements may have slogans, symbol, and other forms of categorization. Imagery is allowed, because the effect on young people would be nominal. Section 897.30(a) places no limitations on advertisements for tobacco products in adult publications. Projected Rule Section 897.30(b) states that no outdoor advertising, such as billboards, posters, or placards, may be placed within 1000 feet of any playground, elementary school, or secondary school (p. 41374). The projected policy put out numerous separate rest rictions on advertising. The first illustrates acceptable forms of advertisements in adult publications (Section 897.30a) and a more preventive format in publications that are understand by those less than 18 years of age (Section, 897.32). The second exclude outdoor advertising within 1000 feet of schools and play- grounds (Section, 897.30b). The third prohibits the marketing of sales promotion items (e.g., T-shirts) bearing any indicia of product recognition and prohibits the funding of events in the brand name (Section, 897.34). The rationale behind the conventions is not to avoid all sales of tobacco products, but the sale of these products to children and teenagers. The projected guideline limiting the design of advertising to minors should withstand a legal challenge. The Division of Health and Human Services has various studies to express the connection among smoking and health risks. The smoking velocity started to turn down later than cigarette advertisements were forbidden from the electronic medium. The projected limitations on outdoor advertising and the proposed ban of promotional matter also are expected to survive legal inspection. Governmental history supports this vision. So it can now rightly be said that Outdoor media can play a vital role in the society norms and prevents any discrepancy. Continuation of Outdoor advertisement related with marketing and restrictions, it is said that the U.S cigarette companies have been under pressure for decades. The most major problem facing by U.S tobacco industry is the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rule. The rules for FDA are to restrict the sale and distribution of tobacco products to children (60 Fed. Reg. 41314). After only one year of this restriction the FDA announced and intended to protect children from using tobacco products. (61 Fed. Reg. 44396). Here the role of Outdoor advertisement is for social purpose. Through advertising you can convey bad message as well as creative and constructive message and for that FDA bans the cartoon images to protect the children from taking tobacco habits. Only advertisement allows portraying the people such as Marlboro cowboy. The FDA also rule, that advertising should not be in white backgrounds and black text. The specific rule that had been taken by FDA for outdoor advertisement w as to ban all billboards within 1000 feet of schools and playgrounds and limit all outdoor advertisement to black and white only. According to FDA agreement all transit advertisement including sign in stadiums, arenas, shopping malls, video gaming centers related with tobacco industry must be prohibited. Here the main problem is for the retailers and the manufacturers of the tobacco industries. Hence the proposed settlement was to ban all outdoor advertisement even if advertising is inside a retail store that was visible from outside so it is not surprising that tobacco industry suffers tobacco marketing restrictions. So it can now rightly be said that outdoor media advertisement played a key role for creating perception of the people. If you do outdoor advertisement for social cause then definitely it creates impact to the people by generating awareness. So outdoor media is a unique and effective media for communicating with the people. Hence understanding the importance of this me dia, government implements certain rules and regulations. More lately, (Pollay, 1986) recommended that advertisement is so persistent, rhythmic, and specialized that involuntarily it can affect our society in both negative and positive way as a entertaining institution. Furthermore, (Lantos, 1987) accomplished that advertising imperfectly reflects our lives, although it can strengthen and accelerate the pace of social change. A very interesting fact is that the majority of disapproval of advertising from those who focus on advertising social functions. A quote from a Stanford historian amplifies this concern. Although it wields a huge social authority, comparable to the influence of religion and learning, it has no social goals and no social accountability for what it does with its influence so long as it refrains from palpable violations of truth and decency. It is this lack of institutional responsibility, this lack of inborn social purpose to balance social power which, I would argue, is a basic cause for concern about the role of advertising (Potter 1954, p. 177). In 1959, the National Industrial Conference Board carries out a survey between advertisers to find out the common areas of concern for advertising management. As a result of their survey, the Board initiated major studies dealing with the following topics: Estimated spending strategies. Pre-testing advertising. Evaluating media and determining advertising efficiency. In additional words, all of these conclusion making areas are apprehensive with civilizing the efficiency of the advertising effort, but they imagine that the firms strategic decision to advertise was sound. So it can now rightly be said that advertising is a much additional effective promotional tool for escalating brand demand in some manufactured goods/market situations than others. Booming advertising depends on the correct combination of several factors. The most of these factors includes (The Economic Effects of Advertising, Neil Borden) The tendency of demand in the exacting industry is supposed to be getting higher. There are supposed to be an opening to encourage particular demand. There is considerable chance for product discrimination. Consumer happiness depends on unknown characters that cant be easily evaluate at the time of acquire. Powerful emotional buying motivation survives. The arrangement of potential unit sales times rate of gross margin must be high sufficient to authorize necessary advertising expenditures in the particular product. So the basic purpose of advertising appraisal system explained above is to discover what role advertising should play in completing the marketing goals of the firm. The process of setting advertising objectives has the benefit of supporting management in setting objectives which are responsive to conditions within the firm, the market, and the economic environment. The strategic importance of the appraisal conclusion in the series of advertising management decisions is demonstrated as under. Figure 2.1 This structured procedure that described above is to suggest relieve to managerial resolution making. Advertising in Pakistan Advertising industry in Pakistan has flourished immensely and has bought handsome revenue to the country. Advertising in Pakistan according to Aurora, a bi-monthly magazine published by Dawn Group of publication in November -December 2004 edition, Maryam Ali Baig writes despite the endemic weakness of Pakistans economy in the last 10 years, the advertising industry has seen growth during this period. Moreover, the total worth of the advertising market in 2002 was, according to Gallup estimates, 8.1 billion rupees. (135 million dollars annually). Advertisers in Pakistan cater almost all the needs of the people. There are all types of advertising being done in Pakistan. Due to innovation in technology and graphics advertising in Pakistan has taken a new step. The advertisers now urge for the very best for their product. Brief History of Advertising in Pakistan Advertising was first seen in form of print in Pakistan. Newspaper was the first medium for the advertising later. Magazines and other form were chosen for advertising. Radio also aired advertising, after all these advertisements were bringing in, profits with them. Television emerged late in broad medium of Pakistan. However, it became an effective medium for the advertisers. Not only international products, but also national products were advertised on television. Advertising agencies with the advancement in technology adopted new trends. Outdoor advertising became an integral part for any commercial or non-commercial advertising. Although being the oldest medium, it was recognized later in Pakistan. Advertising Media in Pakistan The advertising media being used in Pakistan is covering almost all international standards. The advertisement media in Pakistan includes: Broadcast (Television, radio), Print (Newspaper, Magazines, Pamphlets, Broachers, Banners), outdoor (Billboards, Transit Advertising, Electronic Billboard, Posters), below the line (Loyalty Cards, Buntings, other stationary items). Advertising in Pakistan, has set new parameters designed for development in many grounds. Like many other fields, advertising in Pakistan, is playing a positive role in progression for the country. Advertising itself, has many roles which it performs in many any society. Pakistani society, on the whole is based on religious governing comprising of sacred norms and folkways. There are certain dos and donts in any society. Advertisers are bound to follow these norms for their own good will and success. Advertising in Pakistan is performing all these roles. Advertisers in Pakistan follow the given norms and values of the society. For example, it is unethical to advertise anything regarding sexual context, Champaign advertisement, or anything against National Integrity of Pakistan. Furthermore, it is unethical to advertise anything about any religion. Advertising is playing a vital role in Pakistani society both economically and socially. It is catering for the needs of the audiences in many ways for example, by providing them consumer good services, informing them about new products, entertaining them with new methods and last but not the least, performing many social cause tasks to gain goodwill and publicity for their name. Functions of Advertising in Pakistan Advertising performs four main functions in any society. To Inform To interpret To entertain To persuade In Pakistan, the advertising takes the responsibility of informing people about new products and services. This is not only in commercial use but non-commercial field as well. The advertisers select the media for transmission of their message accordingly to the requirement of the product/service. The audiences are informed through various mediums of mass communication. It is generally observed, that many times people dont know the importance or value of the product or service. Hence, it is the responsibility of the advertiser that he interprets the core meaning of the product/ service in the right manner. In Pakistan advertising share a healthy and sometimes conflicting competition. Various products/ services require different types of entertainment. There are many new trends being brought into this field. For instance, Hilal Sweets has taken the initiative of bringing in banded songs for their products. Pakistani advertising also carries other elements such as celebrity endorsement, transformational advertisement. Advertising in Pakistan, Has given a boost to the economy of Pakistan. The main function of advertising in although to persuade the audiences to actually purchase or adopt their product and service. Although, persuasion alone doesnt complete the entire function. It is interconnected with other functions to be a success. Tools of Advertising in Pakistan Some important tools for advertising in Pakistan are newspaper, magazine, radio, television, direct mail and mail order, outdoor display and transportation. (Tariq khan, 2001) Print The reading habits of Pakistani society are not healthy as compare to the broadcast medium. Another reason can be of low rate of literacy. Yet, mostly the advertisements are targeting to the audience through newspaper, magazines, pamphlets and many other forms of print. It can also be the reason of flexibility of the coverage aspect. Other than that fresh and new advertising can also be done through newspapers. For instance, Mobilink, a famous cellular company in Pakistan recently launched its testing campaign through print and then finally executed in the newspaper. Magazines are also a source of advertising in Print. They are further divided into many categories. For instance, a fashion magazine covers all the aspects of fashion and advertising what is new and what are the coming trends. They are not as popular for advertising as they are a bit expensive and probably not the feasible medium for people. Broadcast Television is a dynamic force in the advertising field. In Pakistan, advertising is heavily relay upon television.There are various time slots as morning time transmission, noon, prime time and nighttime transmission. Mostly prime time is selected for advertisements. The Viewer ship of this time slot, in comparison with others is high. There is also an aura of glamour and excitement about television, which extends to the products being advertised like newspaper and radio also depends upon advertising. In Pakistan radio is an effective medium of mass communication. It has a wide scope and is capable of nation-wide as well as local presentation. Due to its reach in villages it can also attract agricultural, fertilizer and pesticides advertising. Like television, radio also has a proper time to advertise these products/services. These advertisements are aired when the listeners are not engaged in other activities. Outdoor Outdoor advertising in Pakistan can be tailored to cover a specific area and the whole city as well. In Pakistan, the outdoor advertising enjoys the distinctly visual advantages of color, size and locations. Billboards and chalking on walls are stationary tools of outdoor advertising. Whereas transit is the mobile tool of outdoor advertising Significance and scope of Advertising in Pakistan In Pakistan, advertising is message industry that plays a major role in shaping the content and operation of the mass media. Advertising plays an important role in our culture. It not only shapes our lifestyles but also reflects what our cultural norms are. Furthermore, Pakistan being a developing country does face hurdles in this field. There are certain norms, which should not be violated while designing any advertisement. (Abbas Qamar, 2001). Advertising Done in Pakistan for social cause Before discussing various types of social advertising being done here in Pakistan an overlook on the meaning and importance of the word social has to be comprehended. Further why is it associated with advertising? The word Social comes from Latin language socialis meaning ally, associate. According to dictionary it means involving allies or confederates. In context of the meaning it can be said that social is involving, interacting or conflicting with each other or with the environment. It would be more appropriate if social is taken in terms of society. The meanings given above indicate to involvement. But involvement with whom? Obviously with each other and that is done in any group, which is a semi part of any society. It is understood that social leads in reference to society and in any society many functions need to be sustained. Any society may be comprehensively described as an organized community of people who live and function in a single social medium. Thus, it can be said that society may have many other divisions. Any society can be divided into further divisions such as health, political, educational, legislative, environmental and social. In context of the previous discussion it can be said that society has various divisions and sub divisions. In Pakistani society, the advertising medium is being done in various sectors. Some of them are discussed below. Health Advertising The Ministry of Health in Pakistan has taken measures to promote the message of the institution. For this purpose they have chosen various mediums to promote these issues. A successful example of this may be polio campaigns around Pakistan. The techniques used by them are similar to the advertising techniques. Another example cited here can be HIV/AIDS. Both issues are being highlighted in a very successful manner. There are some donts in making of the later advertisement, which are observed strictly in making of the advertisement. Every medium has different reach and frequency and they are selected on those basis. Political Advertising During elections and other political rallies, advertising of the political parties plays a significant role in promoting good name for them. For this purpose, various techniques are used. There are respective advertising messages done by them. More ever, social advertising in this aspect makes a feasible change in their voting list. In Pakistan, even to-date these rallies and elections use orthodox methods in promoting their message more effectively. Legislative Advertising In Pakistan, the main body is the Legislative body. For the government, the taxes implied for any advertisement is reduced. In addition, government takes measures to advertise in welfare of public as well as for their own interest. Educational Advertising In Pakistan, education is the most talked issue of today. Successful examples were Punjab Educational Program and another example is of National Development Housing in Karachi. The purpose is to create awareness among people about educating their children and giving them best in life. For this objective, advertising techniques are used to promote the cause. Outdoor Social Issues Other than the above-mentioned issues, there are social issues being highlighted in advertising. They are advertised either by any company as their social responsibility, or by any non-governmental organization to promote any social cause. For instance, advertising of women rights through various mediums. Social responsibility Social Advertising has developed tremendously in Pakistan. Companies usually support particular causes or sectors and adopt these through a comprehensive and complicated internal decision making process. For Instance McDonald Pakistan hosted Worldwide Children Day. Moreover, they raised funds for the helpless children. Shell Pakistan Assigns a certain percentage of its net profits to social investment that is unrelated to branding. The five key areas shell supports are: health, education, community welfare, heritage and environment. These are in line with its commitment to sustainable development. The Dalda Campaign aimed at raising fifty hundred thousand rupees for the Shoukat Khanum Memorial Hospital. Dalda placed billboards at prominent locations in the major as well as smaller cities of Pakistan. After sometimes of this campaign, Dalda informed its consumer that about thirty hundred thousand rupees were raised for this purpose. CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODS 3.1 Method of Data Collection Procedure For data collection, I had to go to common people and interview with the respondent. Asking them about their age and giving them the questionnaire. As the sample was mostly the mobile audience, I had to wait with them until they had finished the questionnaire. The sample size for the research was one hundred and one hundred questionnaire was finalized. 3.2 Sampling Technique Convenience sampling technique was used. The sample for conducting this research comprised of both male and female .Mostly they were selected from the public places. 3.3 Sample Size The sample size for this research was 100. Instruments of Data Collection Keeping in view the requirement of the study a questionnaire comprising ten questions was constructed. Mostly close-ended questions were opted in which respondents were asked to select an answer among a list. 3.6 Statistical Technique After data collection, data was designed with the help of SPSS for composing thesis script. Technique of one way ANOVA has been used to test the variables. CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS 4.1 Findings and Interpretations of the results Technique One way ANOVA Dependent variable = Social Cause (Average of Q 6,7,8,9, 10) Independent variable is found in question no 2, which depends on 5 categories a) AIDS Awareness b) Anti smoking c) Reckless driving e) Health cause d) Drug/Alcohol abuse Test of Homogeneity of Variances Table 4.1 Social. Cause Levine Statistic df1 df2 Sig. 2.166 4 95 .079 Assumption of homogeneity of variance is not violated ANOVA Table 4.2 Social. Cause Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig. Between Groups 1.285 4 .321 1.097 .363 Within Groups 27.821 95 .293 Total 29.106 99 Sig value is greater than 0.05 which shows that the mean difference between all categories is not significant. Descriptives Table 4.3 Social. Cause N Mean Std. Deviation Std. Error 95% Confidence Interval for Mean Minimum Maximum Lower Bound Upper Bound AIDS Awareness 24 4.1667 .45556 .09299 3.9743 4.3590 3.40 4.80 Anti smoking 41 3.9171 .50789 .07932 3.7568 4.0774 2.80 5.00 Reckless driving 18 3.8667 .67563 .15925 3.5307 4.2026 2.80 4.80 Health cause 15 4.0267 .59458 .15352 3.6974 4.3559 3.00 4.80 Drug/Alcohol abuse 2 4.1000 .14142 .10000 2.8294 5.3706 4.00 4.20 Total 100 3.9880 .54221 .05422 3.8804 4.0956 2.80 5.00 4.2 Hypotheses Assessment Summary According to this table, the mean value for all social causes is around 4 that reflect the highly significant effect of out door advertisement in creating perception and awareness for social cause. This shows that the hypothesis reflects a positive role of social advertisement in bringing awareness and perception for social cause. The awareness level for all the causes are there. People know the effectiveness of social advertisement. CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION, DISCUSSION, IMLICATIONS AND FUTURE RESEARCH 5.1 Conclusion According to the research and the research result, the study shows that there is the positive role of outdoor social advertisement for bringing perception and awareness for social causes. People show the outdoor advertisements and create perception for certain causes. For Example in Reckless driving cause, people daily see the road signs of using helmet while driving a motorcycle, we also see a common slogan for reckless driving Speed thrills but kills or the people also see the speed limits while driving. So there is an awareness level build inside the people. 5.2 Discussion The outside screening viewers are mostly portable. The Public take a trip rapidly in automobiles or walk at a quick speed as they execute the movement of everyday life. Accurately measuring the mobile audience is very difficult however, for this research survey method was used. For this purpose the sample selected was 100 (n=100). The sample selected was divided into three age groups that are 20-25, 26-30 and 31-36 respectively. The age groups include male and female both. Awareness levels are not significantly different between men and women regarding outdoor that is seen and remembered by a greater proportion of 16-44 olds. The sample was divided, in three age groups to analyze, the awareness of the social outdoor advertising. The first group was basically: chosen in order to, analyze their awareness regarding social outdoor advertising. The people of this age group are young, and they are probably more inclined towards adopting new trends and change. The second age group was selec ted in general, because these people are heading towards, their practical and professional life and they probably take more practical measures to imply these social message in their life. The people of the third age group are probably more learned and experienced. It has generally been observed that people of this age group are mostly reluctant towards innovation .So, to see if social outdoor advertising has been successful in bringing awareness in their already formed ideas and concepts, this age group has been selected. All the institutions within society have some responsibility for helping to maintain social harmony through proper stewardship of families and companies exercise of honesty and integrity in all relationships, adherence to accept ethical standards, willingness to assist various segments of the society, and the courtesy to respect the privacy of others. Furthermore, media being an integral part of society plays an important role in any society. Outdoor is considered to be one of the oldest advertising mediums, yet technology has provided an opportunity to develop creative, eye-catching messages. The need to convey the social messages to a large number of people at same pace and time has been provided by social outdoor advertising. This research is based on Role of outdoor advertisement in bringing perception and awareness for social cause. Thus, the survey leads me to the conclusion that the hypothesis is correct in empathizing that outdoor advertisement plays a positive role in bringi ng perception and awareness for social cause.

The Impact of Romanticism, Realism, Naturalism, and Local Color on The

     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Four major literary movements can claim some aspect of The Awakening, for in this "small compass . . . [is illustrated] virtually all the major American intellectual and literary trends of the nineteenth century" (Skaggs, 80).  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Romantic movement marked a profound shift in sensibilities away from the Enlightenment. It was inspired by reaction to that period's concepts of clarity, order, and balance, and by the revolutions in America, France, Poland, and Greece. It expressed the assertion of the self, the power of the individual, a sense of the infinite, and transcendental nature of the universe. Major themes included the sublime, terror, and passion. The writing extolled the primal power of nature and the spiritual link between nature and man, and was often emotional, marked by a sense of liberty, filled with dreamy inner contemplations, exotic settings, memories of childhood, scenes of unrequited love, and exiled heroes.    In America, Romanticism coalesced into a distinctly "American" ideal: making success from failure, the immensity of the American landscape, the power of man to conquer the land, and "Yankee" individualism. The writing was also marked by a type of xenophobia. Protestant America was faced with an influx of Catholic refugees from the Napoleonic Wars, of Asian workers who constructed the railroads, and the lingering issue of Native Americans. An insular attitude developed, the "us and them" in Whitman. The major writers of the period were Irving, Cooper, Emerson, Poe, Thoreau, Hawthorne, Whitman, Dickinson, and Melville.    There are various romantic elements in The Awakening. Perhaps the most obvious and elemental are the exotic locale, use of color, and heavy emphasis on nature (cl... ...cause Robert to leave.    Works Cited and Consulted Chopin, Kate, The Awakening; A Solitary Soul. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1992 Delbanco, Andrew. "The Half-Life of Edna Pontellier." New Essays on The Awakening. Ed. Wendy Martin. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1988. 89-106. Koloski, Bernard, ed. Preface. Approaches to Teaching Chopin's The Awakening. By Koloski. New York: MLA, 1988. Martin, Wendy, ed. New Essays on the Awakening. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1988. May, John R. "Local Color in The Awakening." Culley, 189-95. Seyersted, Per. Kate Chopin: A Critical Biography. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State UP, 1969.   - - -. "Kate Chopin and the American Realists." Culley 180-6. Skaggs, Peggy. "Three Tragic Figures in Kate Chopin's The Awakening." Louisiana Studies: An Interdisciplinary Journal of the South 4 (1974): 345-64.  Ã‚     

Flower for Algernon Essay

I. Setting and Atmosphere The Flower for Algernon took place in New York, City 1960s. It tone is vary with Charlie’s mental insight. It’s all about mentally disabled person wants to become intelligent and who was abandon by his mother and bullied by other people. II. Plot and Structure  Beginning- Charlie is so innocent, don’t know how read and write. He is working at Donner’s Bakery. He wants to become intelligent. He is the subject for Prof. Nemur and Dr. Strauss’s experiment. Rising Action- Dr. Strauss performs an experimental surgery on Charlie that propels his intelligence to genius levels. Charlie falls in love with Alice but finds he is unable to consummate their relationship because he feels uncertain childhood embarrassment about his sexuality. Major Conflict- Charlie struggles to reach emotional maturity and feel like a whole person before his intelligence will fade and returns him to his original mentally disabled state. Climax- Charlie runs away from the scientists who are observing him because he wants freedom. Alice tells Charlie that his work at the laboratory is more important than his relationship with Fay. Charlie realizes in this moment that he can no longer run from his fate or the importance of his emotional journey. Falling Action- Charlie discovers that he will soon lose his intelligence. Charlie finds his mother and sister and forgives them for how they treated him as a child. Charlie has a brief, fulfilling relationship with Alice. Charlie returns to his original mentally retarded state and checks himself into the Warren State Home. III. Characters Charlie Gordon is the narrator and main character of the story. He is 32-year-old mentally disabled who works at Donner’s Bakery and is chosen by the scientist to undergo experimental surgery to improve his intelligence. Before he got the surgery or become intelligent, he is friendly man and who trust people easily. And then he realized that people around him are taking advantage and when they are kind to him, it usually has been out of awareness that he is inferior when his intelligence eventually grows. He also realized that he has a feeling for Alice Kinnian since first. Because of the experimental operation promotes Charlie’s intelligence to such a level that his new genius distances him from people as much as his disability does he feels isolated from people and it makes him to pursue his course of self- education and struggles to untangle his emotional life. He is inspired by his mother to reach his goals like to be emotionally mature. Although Charlie hates the abuse he endured while disabled, he harbors anger toward his old self and, unluckily, feels the same lack of respect for his intellectual inferiors that many others used to feel for him. In the final weeks of Charlie’s sharp intelligence, before he returns to his previous mental retardation that he learns to forgive his family and give and receive love. Charlie’s brief moment of emotional grace comes in the form of the fulfilling but short-lived romantic affair he has with Alice. Finally, though Charlie spaces back to his original state at the end of the novel, a fresh sense of self-worth remains within him, despite the fact that he has lost his short-lived intelligence. Algernon is a white mouse that also undergoes the surgery of Charlie. Algernon’s intelligence is higher that Charlie’s when they first met. Soon, Charlie beats him. Charlie feels a real relationship with Algernon and becomes his friend. Alice Kinnian is the one who teaches Charlie how to read and write and recommends Charlie for Nemur and Strauss’s experiment. She also teaches literacy skills to mentally disable. She’s the one person with whom Charlie comes to experience a truly fulfilling personal relationship. Professor Nemur is the man that has great intellect but little ability to relate to others. Unlike Dr. Strauss, his partner, He is never interested in Charlie’s emotions but he only cares about Charlie’s progress as an experimental subject. He is desperate about his career and wants to be known as brilliant. Dr. Strauss is the neurosurgeon who performs Charlie’s surgery. He is also the psychiatrist whom Charlie meets with on a regular basis for therapy. He is opposite to Prof. Nemur, he is very kind and tries to help recalling memories of Charlie. Rose Gordon is Charlie’s mother. She is ashamed Charlie’s disability and insisted that her son is normal. And when she gave birth to Norma, younger sister of Charlie, she turned her full attention to Norma and ignored Charlie. IV. Point of View The story is told in a form of first-person. Everything in the story is filtered through Charlie’s mind of which change radically over the sequence of the novel, as Charlie’s IQ triples and then falls back to its original level. V. Theme  The theme of the story is the mistreatment of mentally disabled person and the conflict between mind and feelings. VI. Summary The novel’s action begins in Charlie’s thirty-second year in Donner’s Bakery, New York, where he works. Charlie narrates his experience through ‘progress reports,’ which he has to submit to the research team from Beckman College. Charlie is a retarded adult, and he has agreed to submit himself to experimental surgery in order to improve his intelligence. The reports reveal Charlie’s experiences in the bakery to which the owner, his uncle’s friend, has brought him from the Warren State Home for retarded people. Charlie becomes a part of the bakery, and considers the people there as his friends. Yet, he is dissatisfied and wants to be ‘smart.’ So, he joins a special school for retarded people at Beckman College. After this, his teacher, Alice Kinnian, recommends him to a research team at Beckman psychology department. The team is in search of a retarded volunteer, for the experimental surgery to increase intellige nce. Charlie then undergoes weeks of testing and competing with a white mouse, Algernon at completing mazes. He is depressed when the mouse beats him every time. The operation takes place and Charlie is disappointed at not ‘getting smart’ immediately. However, he is assured that he will progress gradually, but steadily. Over a period of time, Charlie finds himself being able to read more, win some mazes and master complex processes at the bakery. The other workers resent him. He is disillusioned with many of them. He has to spend a lot of time reading and being tested at the Beckman lab. By now, he knows that Algernon has also had surgery similar to his, which accounts for his intelligence. Charlie surges ahead in gathering knowledge and mastering languages. He begins to see his supportive teacher Alice, as an attractive young woman. They become close and he tries to make love to her. On several occasions, he finds he has a violent physical reaction when he is making love to her and therefore has to stop. He can’t understand why this happens. Around the same time, Charlie’s repressed memories of his home, surface. Disturbing scenes, like, his mother pushing him to study or others when he is being pushed aside in favor of his younger sister, flash through his memory. Charlie is upset, but he finds his newfound intellectual ability thrilling and works hard. He finds that he and Algernon are to be taken to Chicago for a convention, at which Nemur will present the findings of the team. Once there, Algernon and Charlie are the prime ‘exhibits,’ objects, and humiliating remarks are made in his hearing. He also discovers that the researchers have not given sufficient time to verify their experimental findings before performing the experiment on him. Charlie releases Algernon, and runs away with him to New York. He hides here for some time and rents a house. He understands that his time is short and decides to check the same experiments, in order to trace the reasons for its failure. Charlie gets permission from the sponsors, to work independently on this subject at Beckman. His relationship with Nemur becomes tense and hostile. He can’t overcome his problems with Alice and gets involved with Fay, an unconventional artist living next door. With her, he can defeat his inhibitions. But as his work gets more demanding, their relationship becomes strained and finally breaks. In the meantime, Algernon’s condition gets worse, and he dies. Charlie knows this indicates his own approaching end, and therefore he seeks out his parents. His father is alone in the Browse. Charlie meets him but can’t bear to reveal who he is, for fear of disappointment. His meeting with his mother and sister is anticlimactic, as the mother is old and senile, and his sister is having a bad time coping with the responsibility alone. He is satisfied that he can tell them of his achievements. He makes his peace with them and leaves. He confronts Nemur at a party and charges him of being insensitive. Charlie is also charged of selfishness and arrogance, which he admits is the truth. He accepts that the retarded Charlie is an important and enduring part of him. He and Alice get together but only find fulfillment for a short time. As Charlie’s mind gets worse, he forces her to leave him. He works at the bakery, and when his condition becomes very bad, he moves to the Warren Home.

What is Automobility?

Automobility is a concept based on two fundamental ideas.   Autonomy is the self-directing or self-governing freedom of an individual.   Mobility is the movement or travel of an individual.Therefore, automobility is the independent, self-governing movement of an individual.   The concept sounds valid and many people would believe it to be so, however, after a more detailed look automobility may not be as mobile or self-regulating as first thought.Automobility has several factions that claim to define this system of automobility (3).   First is the socio-technical facet that defines automobility as the organization of modern concepts.   The political definition is the regulation and practices of movement.Others see it as the legitimization of the differences between man and machine, and man's dominance over the machine (3).   The one concept that is equivalent in all these definitions is the fact that automobility is a patterned system that creates a cohesive understanding of both autonomy and mobility (4).Upon a closer look, it becomes obvious that this system is really a regime based on truth, power, and subjectivity (8). To understand automobility in these terms, we must define the concept of mobility.   Universally it would be considered an automobile, but other modes of travel are available, such as bicycling, public transportation and taxis, and travelling by telephone and internet.These are all modes of travel, and are all self-regulated by the individual, thus giving them all the title of automobility, however, the car is the most often associated with this concept (6).Truth in this regime of automobility is the concept of driving the car (6).   Power is the brute for of the vehicle, such as trucks and sport utility vehicles which over power most other vehicle and modes of transportation (7). Another part of power are the governmental regulations and rules that accompany the driving of a vehicle, which has created a large amount of govern mental bodies to help keep the driver moving within the laws of automobility (7).While automobility is based in an individual’s freedom of movement, it also causes more regulations to be put on the individual and thus is the power of automobility (7). Subjectivity is the last part of the regime.The subjectivity can be a form of hierarchy or of self-monitoring.   Either way, the ideas of one group or class get put on others.   For example, cyclists are not considered when planning for roads and highways, thus those that drive cars, trucks, and such are putting their views and using their power.Social stigmatisms can also be place in this part, because the subjectivity of a person who views people taking public transportation as failures can lead to incorrect assumptions (8). In any case the three facets of the regime create the concept of automobility (8).There are four problems associated with automobility that affect the world at large.   First problem is the congestio n created with the number of cars and vehicles on the road and the planning of those roads being inadequate (9).The second is the ecological and environmental effects of automobility (9).   Third is the geopolitical factor that causes governments to spend money to find, store, and process the oil needed for the vehicles as well as the possibility of war to ensure the oil supply keeps coming.   The last problem is the deaths and accidents that occur, but are considered a normal part of automobility (10).The fact of the matter is that the concept automobility is virtually and completely impossible, since the concept itself requires external forces to allow it to be used.   For example, roads need to be created and maintained, licensure and driver education to ensure the regulations of the roads are followed, and even walking require sidewalks (11-12).Therefore, automobility is neither mobile nor individually self-regulated.   In fact the governmental bodies created by this con cept are now changing the rules and trying to alleviate or eliminate some of the problems associated with automobility (13 – 14).   In any case, changes are coming and the fragility of automobility has become more obvious, and yet the concept continues.